Tube forming machine



Feb. 23, 1932. E. CONT! TUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8. 19294 Sheets-Sheet NVENTOR gs/7e Ca l/V ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1932. E. CONTITUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1929. 4 SheetsSheet 2INVENTOR Eugene Carl/7 I BY i b -ronuzm Feb. 23, 1932.

E. CONT] 1,846,707

TUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR 1F@%. 23, 1932. E. CONTI 1,846,707

TUBE FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 8. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTQR 06l78 (Zr/A Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEEUGEI'JE CONTI, OF LIOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ALEXANDER HERZ,OF

7 NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK TUBE FORMING MACHINE Application filed November8, 1929, Serial No. 405,567. Renewed .Tniy 17, 1981.

The present invention'relates to machines for forming paper tubes.

The invention contemplates the provision of mechanism for forming acontinuous tube, and mechanism for severing predetermined lengthsthereof while the formed tube is bein g fed continuously forward fromthe forming mechanism, and a method of operation for forming tubes. Thespeed of operation of machines of this character usually is limited bythe speed at which the tubc-severing mechanism can be efiectivelyoperated without unduly mutilatin-g the tubes at the point of severingand without too great strain upon the tubesevering mechanism or otherparts of the machine.

The present invention has for an object to provide an improved machineof this character having a tube-severing mechanism which will beeffective in use and which may be operated at high speed.

The invention also has for an object to provide an improved method offorming tubes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The nature and objects of theinvention will be better understood from adescription of a particular illustrative embodiment thereof, and for thepurpose of such description reference slionld be had to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part hereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 1a is a detail showing the manner in which the strips of stock arefed to and wound upon the mandrel, and showing the relation of thestrips to the winding tape;

"Fig"; 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at the op- ,posite side of that shown inFig. 2, and

Figs. 4. and 5 are detail views of the tubesevering mechanism.

This illustrative embodiment of the invention includes a bed 15, whichis supported by legs 16 and in turn sustains the operating parts of themachine. 4

A mandrel, which is of the stationary type and round in cross-section,is supported, in substantially horizontal position, at one end only andis free at its other end. The support for this mandrel includes a post17 rigidly associated with and extendingupwardly from the bed 15. Thismandrel 18 is mounted in the post for horizontal adjustment and issecured in its various adjusted positions by means such as a set screw.

In order that the strips of stock ma be wound upon the stationarymandrel to orm a round tube, a bolster 20 is provided which extendstraversely of the bed in a predetermined relation to the mandrel, andbeneath the same. Cross heads 21 and 22 extend upwardly from the ends ofthe bolster 20, and respectively support horizontally disposed pulleys23 and 24, which are rigid with vertically downwardlyextending shafts 25and 26, having hearings in the cross heads and having rigid with theirlower ends beveled gears 27 and 28, which mesh with similar gears 29 ona shaft 30. This shaft 30 extends longitudinally of the bolster and issupported adjacent the gears 29 in the cross heads 21 and 22, and at anintermediate point by a hearing 81, being actuated in a manner whichwill later be described. 7

A winding. tape passes around the pulleys 28 and 24 with the reaches ofthe tape crossed between the pulleys. One reach 32 extends directly fromone pulley to the other while the other reach 33 is wrapped about theman drel several times so as to provide means for engaging and formingthe strips of stock into the continuous tube. Tensioning rollers 34 aremounted adjustably on the cross heads 21 and 22, and engage the reach 32of the winding tape. The disposition of the bolster with relation to themandrel is such that the turns of the reach 33 about the mandrel will,in the formation of the tube, result in the proper overlapping of thestrips of stock and the proper feeding of the tube of the diameter beingmade.

The pulleys 23 and 24 are actuated by the shaft 80 to draw the windingtape around the stationary mandrel. The shaft 30 receives its motionthrough the intermeshing of beveled gears 35 and 36, the latter beingrigid on the shaft 30, and the former rigid with a gear 37 which mesheswith a similar but smaller gear I the machine.

tudinally beneath the bed so that it will be most conveniently located,not only for the 38 rigid with a shaft 39 extending through the bolsterand having a bearing in the bed 15. The speed of the shaft 30 andconsequentl the speed of rotation of the pulle s 23 an 24, may be variedby changing t e ratio of the gears actuating the same. For inanismactuated at a constant rate the gears 37 and 38 may be changed to changethe rate at which the tube is formed and fed to the tube-' severingmechanism. Consequentl the length of the severed portion of the tu maybe varied.

A beveled gear 40 is'rigid with the lower end of this shaft 39 andmeshes with a similar ear 421 on ashaft 42 which is supported in earings42, de ending from the bed 15 of his shaft 42 extends longiactuation ofthe winding tape pulleys 23 and 24, but also for the other units of themachine, as will later appear. This shaft 42 is ac tuated b theintermeshing of'abeveled gear 43, which is rigid therewith, and a pinion44 on a transverse pulley shaft 45. The shaft 45 is actuated by a beltwhich passes around the pulley 46 on the end of the shaft, and aroundthe pulley on the commutator shaft of a motor 47, the motor convenientlbeing supported by a suitable frame exten ing between the legs 16.

Means is provided for feeding strips of stock, such as paper, undertension to the mandrel in proper angular relation thereto, and suppliedwith the desired adhesive to cause the strips to adhere to each other,and with a lubricant to reduce the friction between the mandrel and thestrips as they are wound into a tube and fed from the mandrel in theform of a tube. This-means includes mechanism for applying alubricant toone of the strips, that is, the one which comes into direct contact withthe mandrel, and ineludes" also a mechanism for applying adhesive to theother strip so that when it is wound upon the previously woundlubricantcarrying strip it will adhere to the outer face thereof, andresult in the formation of a rigid tube.

The embodiment of this means illustrated includes a carrier bar 48 whichextends substantially vertically from, and is rigid with, an extension49 of the bed 15. This carrier bar is provided, both above and below thebed 15, with removable trunnions 50 which extend from both sides of thebar and through a guide 51, the latter being held in spaced relation tothe bar. The trunnions 50 are adapted to support rolls 52 of stripstock, so that a pair of rolls will be disposed above the bed 15 and ifdesired, a pair-of rolls may be disposed below the bed 15.

By this arrangement, the minimum time will be consumed in threading newstrips of stock to the mandrel after the strips from one pair of supplyrolls are consumed. For instance, presuming that the strip stock isbeing fed from the upper sup ly rolls 52, shown in Fig. 2, the lowersupp y rolls 52 are in readiness to be threaded when the upper rolls 52are exhausted.

Channeled guides 53 and 54 are mounted on suitable supports 53 and 54,above the bed of the machine, and are arranged in suitable angularrelationship to the mandrel to respectively accommodate the strips 55and 56, which pass'from the supply rolls beneath a guide roller 57. Eachof these channeled uides is provided with a suitable tensioning evice.These devices tension the strips as they pass to the mandrel and arewound into the form of a tube.

The strip 55 passes directly from the channeled guide 53 to the mandreland forms the base 0 the tube on which the adhesive coated strip 56 iswound. In order that the face of the'strip 55 which contacts with thestationary mandrel may be lubricated to reduce the friction between themandrel and the tube as the latter is formed and fed along the mandrel,I have enlarged the end of the mandrel as at 76, Fig. 1a, and extendedfrom this enlarged end a lubricator 77, which is arranged in the path oftravel of the strip 55 and has an upwardly facing opening 78 thereinfrom which a lubricant such as oil flows to contact with the undersurface of the strip. This lubricator 77 is supplied with a lubricantfrom a reservoir 79 carried by the enlargedend 76 of the mandrel througha duct 80 in said enlarged end.

The strip 56 which passes through the guide 54 is suitably gummed bymeans of an adhesive-applying roll 61, Fig. 2, mounted on a shaft 62 anddipping into an adhesivesupply reservoir 63 supported on a standard 64extendin upwardl from the bed of the machine and indepen ent of thebolster 20. The rotation of the roll 61 is accomplished by means such asbeveled gears 65 and 66, Fig. 1, the former being rigid with the shaft62 and the latter with a vertical shaft 67, Fig. 2, which is actuated byintermeshing beveled gears 68 and 69, the gear 69 being rigid with thelongitudinally disposed shaft 42.

The amount of adhesive carried by the roll 61 to the strip 56% thelatter passes over the roll may be controlled by means of a the pivotalaxis 94 0 the'lever.

84 is so located with respect to the guide sleeve roller 70, which isrotated by intermeshing gears 72 and 7 3, the former being rigid withthe roller 7 O and the latter with the shaft 62. This roller is normallydrawn toward the roll 61 by springs 74, and against adjustable abutmentsby means of which the space between the roller 70 and the adhesiveapplying roll 61 is controlled to thereby control the amount of adhesiveapplied to the strip 56 as it asses over the roll 61.

has the strip 55 is lubricated before it reaches the mandrel, andconsequently the friction between the mandrel and the strip is reducedto a minimum; and the strip 56 is on its under surface coated withadhesive, so that when it is wound on the previously wound strip 55 itwill adhere thereto and form a ri id tube.

As the firmed tube is fed from the mandrel 18 it passes longitudinallyof the machine and through a guide sleeve 81, which sleeve passesthrough and is supported in the upper end of a vertically extendingmember 82. ,The member 82 conveniently is secured to one end of the bed15.

In order that the tube, as it is continuousl formed and fed from themandrel 18 throug the guide sleeve 81, ma be severed into predeterminedlengths wit out interrupting the continuous movement of the tube, andwith out distorting it, means is provided for causing a flame totraverse the path of movement of the tube periodically while the tube ismoving to burn through the tube. The embodiment of this meansillustrated in the drawings includes mechanism for causing a flame tomove in a path transverse to the direction of movement of the tube, andto sweep across the path of movement of the tube at intervals.

As shown in'Fi s. 4 and 5, a burner or blow pipe 84 is adjustahlymounted at 85 on a lever 86, which lever conveniently is pivotallymounted at 94 on the vertically extending member 82 at a point below theguidesleeve 81. The mounting ofthe lever 86 is such that the lever andburner may be turned back and forth throu h a limited range about Theburner 81 that the burner flame, indicated diagrammatically at 83, liesin a plane traversing the pathof movement of the tube, and thearrangement is such that when the lever 86 is turned about its pivotalaxis 94 the flame 83 will traverse the path of movement of the tube. Theburner may be supplied with gas by means of the flexible tubularconnections 92, and the gas 'fed to the burner may be controlled byvalved connections 95, conveniently supported on the bed 15.

Conveniently the upper end of the vertically extending member 82 isprovided with a casing or shield 87 enclosing the flame 83 and the tipof the. burner 84. The tip of the burner 84 extends through an enlargedopening in the bottom wall of the shield 87, thereby permitting turningmovement of the burner 84 and lever 86 about the pivotal axis 94.Openings such as 89 may be provided to in the shield 87 for purposes ofobservation. and heat dissipation, and an opening 90in the wall. of theshield opposite the guide sleeve 81 permit unobstructed passage of thetube therethrough. Preferably the shield 87 76 is lined with anon-combustible, heat-insulating material 91.

It will be apparent that the construction thus far described providesfor the sweeping passage of the flame 83 across the path of 80 movementof the tube emerging from the guide sleeve 81 when the burner 84 andlever 86 are turned about the pivotal axis94, whereby the tube will beburned through. Means are provided for turning the burner back 85 andforth through its limited path of movement about the axis 94. As shownin the drawings, the lever 86 is rigidly connected with a lever 93,which lever 93 is rovided at I its end with afollower 97 whic normally0' is held in engagement with the edge of a i plate cam 96 by means of aspiral tension spring 98 connecting the lever 93 and a bracket 88secured on the bed 15, and biasing the lever 93 to the left, as viewedin Fig. 4. The cam 96 may be secured on the end of the shaft 42. v I

During operation of the tube forming mechanism the shaft 42 rotates theplate cam 96, and the lever 93 swings back and forth 1 under theinfluence of the cam 96 and its follower 97, and the spiral tensionspring 98. It will be apparent that the swinging movement of the lever93 turns the lever 86 and burner 84 back and forth about the pivotalaxis 94 to cause the flame 83 periodically to sweep across the path ofmovement of the tube and severthe tube into predetermined engt s. y

Means is provided for delivering the severed portions of the tube fromthe tube severing mechanism. Conveniently such means comprises a bracket100 which extends outwardly from the vertically extending member 82 andcarries a vertical plate 101. Guide fingers 102 extend from the upperedge of the plate 101 in substantially hori zontal positions and thencedownward in spaced relation to the plate, thus providing a deliveryopening through which the severed portions of the tube will drop and beguided downwardly.

Summarizing the operation of the machine, the strips 55'and 56 of thestock are fed to the stationary mandrel 18, the former supplied on itsunder face, that is, the face which contacts with the mandrel, with oiland the latter supplied on its under face, which engages the previouslywrap ed strip 55, with adhesive. The passage 0 these strips between theturns of the winding tape and the mandrel wird them into a continuoustube, and feeds the tube bmgitudinally of the mandrel to the severingmechanism, the flame of which mechanisu'v periodically traverses thepath of movement of the tube and sevcrs the tube into predeterminedlengths. These severed portions of the tube, are guided by the deliverymechanism to a suitable reeep= tacle or merharism for subsei'uientlyoperating on the tubes.

The description of the illustrative embodiment is not intended definingthe limits of the invention, and it will be understood that theinvention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of theappended claims.

Claims:

1. in a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means forhelically winding strips of material about said mandrel to form asubstantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tubefrom said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube intopredetermined lengths comprising a flame. and means for causing theflame to traverse the path of movement of the tube, whereby the tube maybe severed without distortion or buckling.

in a tube forming machine, in combination, mandrel, means for helicallyWinding strips of material about said mandrel to lUllll a substantiallyrigid tube and for c0n-' tinuously feeding the formed tube from saidmandrel. and means for severing the form d tube into predeterminedlengths comprising a flame, and means for periodically causing the flameto sweep across the path of movement of the tube, whereby the tube maybe severed Without distortion or buckling.

3. In a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means forhelically Winding strips of material about said mandrel to form asubstantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tubefrom said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube intopredetermined lengths comprising a burner, and means for causingrelative movement between the burner and the moving tube, whereby theburner flame Will traverse the path of movement of the tube and severthe tube without distortion or buckling.

4. In a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means forhelically Winding strips of material about said mandrel to form asubstantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tubefrom said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube intopredetermined lengths, including a gas burner and means for causing theburner flame to traverse the path of movement of the tube, whereby thetube may be severed without distortion or buckling.

5. In a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means forhelicallywinding strips of material about said mandrel to form asubstantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tubefrom said mandrel, and means for severing the formed tube intopredetermined lengths ronnu'ising a pivotally mounted burner, and meansfo turning said burner about its pivotal axis toward and away from thepath of movement of the tube.

6. The method of forming tubes of predetermined lengths which com n'iseswinding strips of material about a mandrel to form a tube, continuouslyfeeding the formed tube from the mandrel. and burning the formed tubeinto predetermined lengths.

7 The method of forming tubes of predeterminedlengths which compriseswinding strips of material about a mandrel to term a tube,continuouslyfeeding the formed tube from the mandrel, and periodicallysevering the tube with a flame.

8. 111 a tube forming machine, in combination, a mandrel, means forhelically winding strips of material about said mandrel to form asubstantially rigid tube and for continuously feeding the formed tubefrom said mandre a burner, and means for periodically causing relativemovement between the burner and the moving tube whereby the tube will besevered by the burner into predetermined lengths.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this6th day of November, 1929.

EUGENE CONTI.

